Locking Energy
by Immicolia
Summary: Ryo comes across Edo during the Genex Tournament. Sparks fly. Ryo x Edo, set sometime between episodes 95 and 97


_A/N: For what it's worth, this one I wrote damn near a year ago (when the whole Ryo/Edo thing first ate my brain) I'm only just now getting around to uploading it here, since I may or may not be incredibly lazy about such things. Also, I feel obligated to give a warning for vague, blink and you'll miss it, implied drug use._

* * *

Edo flicks through the deck (snatched from the duel disc of a fairly decent pro bare moments after the duel ends) one card at a time. Letting each tumble to the ground (forgotten) as he moves on to the next. And the next. And the next. Growing more and more frustrated and enraged (with himself, with his life, with that faceless monster out there that has twisted him up this way) as that card refuses to materialize. 

(Not that he expected this idiot to have it, but he can't help but look. _Has_ to. Because if he doesn't, and he misses something...)

And as the last card flutters to the ground, Edo turns away. Shutting his eyes and breathing deeply while he forces himself to put one foot in front of the other. Knowing that if he hesitates, that if he stops walking away, he's going to be tempted to kick this poor bastard in the ribs a few times, for no reason other than the fact that he is pissed off and hurting and wanting so desperately to make someone else _feel_ it.

He is still choking down his own rage when he opens his eyes only to find Marufuji Ryo there. Leaning against a tree and simply watching, all cold and indifferent but quietly calculating all the same. Edo finding himself snapping, "What the fuck do you want!?" before he can stop himself.

Ryo's lips twitch, just slightly, into the briefest of smirks before he says, cool and even, "I caught the end of your duel."

"How nice," Edo quickly managing to inject some ice into his own tone as the mask, all his armour, slides back into place. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Very much. Especially the little show at the end there. I didn't know you were so interested in your opponent's decks."

"I'm sure there's a lot you don't know about me." Edo carefully keeping his tone bored even though his blood is still pounding through his veins. A twisted rush of pain and anger and leftover adrenaline that Ryo's presence and oh so careful goading is not helping.

He wants to get back to his yacht. Wondering how much of his stash is left. He managed to get a little more while in Domino for those few days but this tournament...

"And I'm sure there's even more that I _do_ know." Ryo's ice-slick voice cutting into his thoughts and Edo's eyes snap back to Ryo's face. "After all, you're one of the hottest pros out there, aren't you? No secrets from the media. Everyone knows your sad, sad little story; the orphaned charity case of the world champion--"

"What? Is that one supposed to make me burst into tears, _Hell Kaiser_?" Edo forcing the most obnoxiously sarcastic twist he can on the nickname. "I've been hearing that since I was an Am. You're just gonna have to try harder if you want to get under my skin."

"Fair enough." There's the briefest of pauses, Ryo's head cocked slightly to the side, carefully considering, before he speaks again. "Why did you try to goad me into a duel the other day?"

"To see if I could. Why didn't you accept?"

"Because you're beneath me."

"Spare me. I'm obviously not _tha__t_ far beneath your notice or you wouldn't even be here right now." A vicious grin twisting Edo's lips as certain facts click into a row in his mind. "The truth, _Hell Kaiser_, is you're afraid to lose. Winning is all you have and you're back on a streak right now. On a streak and scared shitless that I'll knock you out of it. Again." Edo finding himself leaning in close with that final, taunting, word and wondering if Ryo is going to plant a fist right in the centre of his face.

Ryo doesn't move, although Edo notices the slightest jumping tic in Ryo's cheek as the taller boy clenches his jaw too tight and decides to chalk that one up as a point for his side. Staying on the attack even as he activates his duel disc. "We can go right now if you'd like to prove otherwise, _Hell Kaiser_."

"Please. You don't want to anymore than I do," Ryo drawls after a moment. Back to cool and indifferent after that momentary lapse into fury. "After all, you could lose just as easily as I could. And then you'd be knocked out of this _charming_ little tournament."

"I don't give a shit about the tournament," Edo snaps back, and Ryo chuckles. Cold and unpleasant as he slides in close. Looming a good foot taller than Edo and so near that Edo can almost feel the heat from his body. Unable to even react, let alone move away before Ryo has the chance to grab Edo's left arm and force it back to his side.

"You might not give a shit, but it's an excellent little excuse. Isn't it? For whatever the hell it is you're looking for."

"You have _no_ idea--"

"Nor do I care," Ryo cuts him off. Lips so close to Edo's ear now that the words are nothing more than a deadly whisper. "Your reasons for playing around here are yours. Mine are mine. Lets just leave it at that for now."

"Fine," Edo bites out from between clenched teeth. Keeping his body stiff and tense and trying his damnedest not to react any further. "Now what?"

There is no answer for a moment, and Edo is just about to snap something about Ryo getting the hell away from him when a strong hand clamps around the underside of his jaw. Twisting his face upwards and for one split second he can see the mocking flicker of amusement in Ryo's eyes.

Then there is nothing but a hot mouth slanting over his. Lips and teeth and tongue all working together in a mind-numbingly searing kiss and all Edo can feel (taste, smell) is Ryo. Finding himself, against his own better judgement, clinging and kissing back. His fingers curling against supple leather and he wants and he wants and he wants--

One sharp shove and a rush of cold air, and Edo finds himself flat on his ass on the ground. Struggling to suck air into his lungs and glowering up at Ryo's smirking face. His own face hot and flushed and all he can do is curse under his breath and loathe himself for his own stupidity. Ryo's smirk eventually sliding away into a more thoughtful expression.

"Your boat is at the docks, isn't it?" Ryo asks and Edo lurches awkwardly back to his feet. Hands bunching into fists and he wonders if he could move quick enough to get one good shot in --maybe break that asshole's nose-- before setting it aside as a bad idea.

"What, are you going to go all stalker on me, _Hell Kaiser_? How sweet."

"Hardly. Although I'm sure we'll run into each other again, Phoenix. Don't you worry your pretty little head off about that." Ryo shooting one last smirk at Edo over his shoulder before slipping of into the woods and Edo snaps a few more choice curses under his breath as he watches the older boy go. Ineffectually swiping at the dirt now on his suit and deciding that, yes, he _is_ going to head right back to his yacht now. He is going to go back and get so damn wasted that this day fades into little more than a haze in the back of his mind.


End file.
